Fence fastener tool



June 9, 1931.

w. H. MASON 1,809,386

FENCE FASTENER TOOL Filed May 27, 1929 Zhmcntor WILLIAM H.MAS 0N Cttorneg/a Patented June 9, 1931 WILLIAM H. MASON, OF LEESBURG, OHIO FENCE FASTENER TOOL Application filed. May 27, 1929. Serial No. 366,141. I

To fasten the horizontal wires to metallic fence posts with a wire clip has ordinarily, in practice, required two men-one at one side of the fence to hold a sledge or other heavy object against the clip while the other bends the clip with a hammerat the opposite side of the fence.

The object of my invention is to provide a tool of simple and economical construction whereby the clip can be easily applied and more securely by one man standing at one side of the fence and in less time than it was formerly done by two men. 1 v

The invention is embodied in the example herein shown and described, the features of novelty being finally claimed.

Inthe accompanying drawings,-

Figure 1 is a side view of the tool.

Fig. 2 is an edge view. I v v Fig. 3 illustrates the tool applied to a fence post and clip ready for bending the clip.

Fig. 4 shows the position of the parts with the clip bent. Y

Fig. 5 illustrates the clip.

The bending member consists bar 6 having at one end a recess'7, a laterally offset clip-bending jaw 8, and a rib or flange 9 extending from the jaw 8 in a curve around the end.

The clip holding or bracing member consists of a hook-like member having a bifurcated shank that is pivoted at 11 to the handled bending member. Laterally pro.- j ecting from the pivoted end of the hook-like member is a clip bracing jaw 12 that has its operating face eccentric to the axis of the pivot of the hook member so that when the clip bending jaw is turned on said pivoting axis the operating face of the clip-bending jaw approaches the eccentric face of said bracing aw. V I

The jaw 12 has a groove 12 to fit on the wire of the clip. The bracing member at its hook and is provided with a lateral flange 13.

In Figs. 3 and 4 the post 14 is shown as of T-bar formand in horizontal cross section.

A horizontal strand wire of the fence is shown at 15 as crossing the face of the post. The clips, which are prepared inadvance, consist of short pieces of wire each bent with a of a handle position. eccentric jaw forces the body of the clip close hook 16.at one end, said hook engaging one vertical edge of the base of the post and with a straight portion 17 to be bent with my tool to engage the opposite vertical edge of the fence post. o I r a The clip as prepared in Fig. 5 is first placed with its hook 16 engaging the left hand vertical edge of the post, said hook lying on top of the strand wire and with the body of the clip crossing the strand wire so that the straight portion 17 may project to the rear as seen in Fig. 3. When the clip has been so placed my tool is placed with'the hook of its pivoted member engaging the edge of the postbelow the strand wire as seen in Fig. 3 in which position the flange 13 touches the hook of theclip while the jaw 12 is pressed on the front of the clip and the jaw 8 against the straight part 17 of the clip. By seating the right front edge of the clip'in groove 12 TU of the jaw 12 and then abutting flange 9 with the strand wire, the proper position for locking the clip is automatically obtained. flhen upon drawing the-handle 6 outward the jaw 8 presses and bends inward the straight part I; 1.7 of the clip toward the rear side of the base of the post. In this'operation it will be noted pivot 11 forms the fulcrum'for the handle 6,

which being relatively long, exerts great pressure on the straight part 17 of the clip. It will beobserved that the eccentric forces the portion of the clip seated'in groove 12 firmly' against theface side of the post while the pressure of jaw 8 is being exerted to bendv the straight part 17 of the clip into looking as It will also be observed that the to the strand wire and post while the pressure of the 8 is being exerted to bend the straight part17 of the clip into locking'position. Thus it will be seen that the action of thi'stool on the clip not only places the clip and strand wire closely together, but binds them so rigidly to the post that they are held in fixed position, and not in a bulging and loose position, as by the former methods, resulting in objectionable sliding of the strand wires out of place on the post.

- While in this descriptionof the clips and as shown in Figs. 3 and 4 the hook 16 engages the left hand vertical edge of the post above the strand Wire and the body passing diagonal to the right over the strand wire so the straight portion 17 projects under the strand wire and backward to the rear of the base of the post, in which position it is then looked in place by the tool, it will be understood that the tie may be placed in a reverse position when necessary, that is the hook 16 engaging the right hand side of the vertical edge of the post and under the strand Wire, then passing diagonally upward and over the strand wire projecting point 17 over the top of the strand wire and pointing rearward at left of vertical edge of the post; then by applying the tool upside down and substantially in the same manner as before described the clip is locked into position. This reverse method of applying clip and tool is necessary when one of the vertical stay wires of the fence lies nearer the right vertical edge of the post thereby preventing the use of the tool as first described.

The forms of the parts can be changed without departing from the gist of the invention a e-claimed.

What I claim is: I

1. A fence clip fastening toolcomprising a handle bar having at one end a curved portion to extend around one edge of a fence post and provided with a laterally offset portion forming a clip-bending jaw, hook member pivoted to said handle bar to engage the other edge of said post, said hook member having a laterally offset portion near the 7 axis of its pivotal connection constituting a clip-engagingjaw cooperating with the clipbending jaw to press the clip toward the post during'the clip bending operation.

2. A fence clip fastening tool comprising a handle bar having at one end a curved portion to extend around one edge ofa fence post and provided with a laterally ofi'set portion forming a clip-bending jaw,a hook member pivoted to said handle bar to engage the other edge of said post said hook member having a laterally offset portion near the axis of its pivotal connection constituting a clip-engaging jaw cooperating with the clipbending jaw to press the clip toward the post during the clip bending operation, said last named offset portion having a grooveto receive and hold the clip at the point pressed.

3. A fence clip fastening tool comprising a handle bar having at one end a curved portion to extend around one edge of a fence post and provided with a vlaterally offset portion forming a clip-bending jaw, a hook member pivoted to said handlebar to engage the other edge of said post, said hook member having a laterally offset portion near the axis of its pivotal connection constituting a clip-engaging jaw cooperating with the clip-bending jaw to press the clip toward the-post during the clip-bending operation, the pressing face of'said last named ofi'set ,ese

tion to extend around one edge of a fence post and provided with a laterally offset portion forming a -clip-bending jaw, a hook member pivoted to said handle bar to engage the other edge of said post, said hook member provided with a flange to support a clip at its pre-bentvend and said hook member having a laterally offset portion near the axis of itspivotal connection constituting a clip-engaging j awcooperating with the clipbending aw to press the clip toward the post during the clip bending operation.

WILLIAM H. MASON. 

